XRP

Overview

XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger and is used for transaction fees, account reserves, payments, decentralized exchange activity, and network features.

Every transaction destroys a small XRP fee, while accounts use sequence numbers or tickets and may require destination tags for custodial deposits. native-asset economics connect issuance, fees, rewards, and security. new supply may compensate validators or miners, while burns, treasury allocations, or governance decisions can alter circulating supply and incentives.

XRP is distinct from issued currencies and trust-line assets on the XRP Ledger, wrapped XRP, exchange balances, and similarly named tokens on other networks. Ownership of XRP does not automatically provide equity, a claim on a foundation, or guaranteed governance power. For XRP, rights come from protocol rules and any active staking or voting mechanism.

Risks include missing destination tags, reserve requirements, key loss, amendment and validator-list assumptions, market volatility, wrong-network transfers, and issuer risk for non-XRP assets. Protocol upgrades can alter fee assets, staking, transaction formats, or token identity. Legacy networks may continue operating while ecosystem liquidity and development move elsewhere.

Applications should verify classic or X-address, destination tag, drops, sequence or ticket, last-ledger sequence, fee, transaction result, validation, and account reserve. Payment support for XRP should specify the exact network, address or memo requirements, minimum amount, fee asset, finality policy, node or provider monitoring, and treatment of forks, migrations, and unsupported representations.

Comparisons with XRP Address clarify the role of XRP, while also showing why similar names do not create identical custody, redemption, or accounting treatment.